Patriarch of Antioch to arrive in State today

Patriarch of Antioch to begin Kerala tour, participating in various church celebrations and meetings with government officials.

Patriarch of Antioch and head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church Ignatius Ephrem II will begin his Kerala tour from the Malabar diocese on February 1. The Patriarch will lead the celebration of the holy Eucharist at the St. Peter’s and Paul’s cathedral in Kozhikode on February 2. He will also participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of the St. Mary’s church, Velamkode, in Kozhikode the same day.

During his 10-day stay in Kerala, the Patriarch is scheduled to meet Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council president Baselios Mar Cleemis in Thiruvananthapuram.

Leaders of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church said here at a press conference on Wednesday that formal processions to mark the visit of the patriarch will reach the Puthenkurishu patriarchal centre from the renowned centres of the Jacobite Church in Mulamthuruthy, Aluva and Kothamangalam on February 3.

The Patriarch will bless and dedicate the Aryadam church in Thrissur. The same day, the Patriarch will be received officially at the Patriarchal centre in Puthenkurisu by Catholicos Baselios Thomas I and other senior leaders of the Church.

He will participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of the consecration of Catholicos Baselios Thomas I as Bishop on February 4 at the Puthenkurishu centre. The Chief Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the conclusion of the golden jubilee celebrations. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan, Law Minister P. Rajeeve, Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan and Cardinal Baselios Cleemis will be present at the celebrations.

The highlight of the celebrations will be the presentation of the first ‘Sreshta Puraskaram’ to Indian Space research Organisation Cairman S. Somanath. This will be the first Shreshta Puraskaram from the Baselios Thomas I Catholicos Charity Foundation.